Pneumatic spring for vehicles



July 7, 1925. 1,545,310"

F. DE URR'UELA v PNEUMATIC SPRING FOR VEHICLES Filed J1me 10, 1921 3 Sheets-:Shegt' 1 N .9 LL

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' F. DE URRUELA PNEUMATIC SPRING FOR VEHICLES File June '10, 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I WW W .712 az raa i afr'gjd i FRANCISCO DE URRUELA, OF BARCELONA, SPAIN.

1,545,310 OFFICE.

PNEUMATIC SPRING FOR VEHICLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that FRANCISCO DE URRUELA, a subject of the King of Spain, residing at Hotel Ritz, Plaza de las Cortes, Barcelona, Spain, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Springs for Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pneumatic springs for use in connection with road or railway vehicles, and has for its object the provision of improved mechanism of the character, the purpose of which is to absorb the shocks transmitted from the wheels of the vehicle. The invention utilizes, as has previously been proposed, a pneumatic spring or supporting device interposed between the body of the vehicle and thechassis or frame or between the latter and the vehicle axle and comprises a cooperating piston and cylinder containing a compressible fluid, the interior of the cylinder being in free communication with a compression chamber.

According to the present invention the improved mechanism is provided for varying the capacity of the compression chamber so as to meet varying conditions of load on the vehicle, it being understood that for effective operation of the device the piston must be maintained at an intermediate point in its range of travel under all conditions of load so as to be capable of movement relative to the cylinder to absorb the shocks transmitted.

According to the present invention the compression chamber is interchangeably arranged; that is chambers of different capacities may be substituted according to the load to be supported, a suffieient quantity of fluid being introduced in the cylinder or chamber to cause the piston to occupy an intermediate position in its range of travel when the vehicle is unloaded, and the capacity of the compression chamber being selected so as to cause the piston to occupy a different but also intermediate position in its travel when the vehicle is loaded.

Any means may be employed for reducing or enlarging the capacity of the air chamber, such for instance as injecting some incompressible material in a liquid or solid state into the chamber. By this means it is not necessary to interchange the chamber, since the capacity having been changed the result is the same for the purpose specified.

Application filed June 10, 1921. Serial No. 476,531. 5

In a slight modification of this arrange ment the compression chamber is divided into two or more compartments adapted'to be placed in communication with one another by means of suitable valves so as to vary the effective capacity of the compression chamber. The same result may also be obtained by screwing the compression chamher to a greater or less extent on the cylinder as will be readily understood from the fol lowing.

The cylinders and pistons can operate in any suitable position on the frame of the car. They are if arranged horizontally, provided with a special device to transmit the vertical shock from the wheel to the horizontal piston.

The use of solid grease combined with thick valvoline or the like as obturator of the compressed air inside the cylinder in the movement of the piston, is also an essential feature of this invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a rear view, in elevation, of a road vehicle provided with pneumatic springs arranged in accordance with one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view thereof in side elevation.

Fig. 8 is a view in rear elevation and on an enlarged scale of a modified arrangement of the cylinders and compression chamber in which the compression chamber is provided. with means for subdividing it into separate compartments.

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation illustrating the invention as applied to a railway vehicle.

Fig. 5 is a part sectional view showing the valve.

Referring now to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the axle Mv of the vehicle is provided with the usual laminated spring L, one end of which is attached to the chassis or frame of the vehicle, the other end being connected by means of a link D to a piston C adapted to reciprocate within a cylinder B. Similar arrangements are provided at each side of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 1, the two cylinders B being in open communication with a common compression chamber O, the cylinders B and the compression chamber 0 being supported on the chassis of the vehicle by brackets 73. Each of the pistons C and cylinders B is of any suitable construction,

* total maximum weight or provided with acking or sealingarrangementsitor preventing. the escape. of air trom the compression chamber, and the device is adjusted in the following manner: 7

The vehicle being unloaded air under pressure is pumped into the. cylinders B Q}!- into the chamber 0 through a suitable valve (not shown). lifted by the compressed air until the pistons G are moved outwardsiirom the cylinders B to the fullextent 0t their stroke the pumping is then discontinued and thepressure of air required tosupport the unloaded vehicle is noted. The vehicle isnloaded with; the e the number: of passengers which theveh-icle isto carry, and it this loading oi the vehicle has. caused the pistons G to move inwardsthroughouttheir tull range, of travel, the compressiong chamber O is removed and a compression chann her of: another capacity substituted. 1 The operationsabove described, are then repeat ed until a compression chamber 0t such ca.- raityoccupy a suitable intermediate, pointin their range of travel, preferably'the middle. point thereot, when, the vehicle is. fully. loaded. t wi l: be n jer e a h u d the ab r pre m ary te t- 0 occupying, a, position; towards their oil-tward range of nroven ent, a compression chamber of larger capacity is substituted for the compression chamber first installerh V The. several cylinders 13, of the; pneumatic sprfllifi; mployed may; be: arrangedto corn n un cate with common compression, chamher 0, which with thecylinders: Bv constitnte a single metal, container for the compressed air; Preferably a plug cock is provide'd fior'isolatingthe air 'inlet valve, this cock; being closed, when. the compression chambenOha-s been, fillegl with to;

esiltfCl,pressure.v e

i In certain cases it may be eon venient. to p qy s Special; en ar e e ts q aryi g the capacity. or the. air compression chamber without i'emoving' the latter from the; vehicle, and for this purpose, the compression chamber may be divided into a numberof di fi erent compartments which can beeuti off from one, tliOiillQhrWllI-l desired by special valves or: the like, thusreducing; the; elfective caaeity of the chamber, An, arrange.- mere 0 this kind isill-ustra ted in Ifi'g. 3, in which it will be; seen that the compression 'cha-rnberrO comprisesthreeseparateacompartments indicated at; a, t, a respectivelwth ese compartments being. separated, by means. of valves 6 so. thatthe capacity of. thecompression chamber. 0, available for-eachotthe y i e B, v. a 7 e ther of thetotal. capacity er the'compart- .ments, t, u or. o f thecornpartmentiu, only, as desired, Asshotvn 3, the valves 6 The vehicle, body being thns vhich is screw-threaded on to a cover 0*,

hasloeenv selected that the pistons resnlt in the pistons i h a r i -ma mn i st at it, this, liquid being introduced through an inlet j. The air inlet} indicated at m, and certain constructional details of the air springs are indicated at the right hand side of the figure. It ivil'l be seen for instance that the cylinder-B is surrounded externallybv a tubular sleeve a, an extensionf 7) or the lower end of the piston C. Supporting lugs for securing thev spring tether-chassis are-indicated at d. I

In a sti-ll further modification. the compression chamber O may be arranged. to have; its capacity varied; screwing the compression chamber on to the cylinder B t gr t r; r lessexten-t, so that the volume of air contained in the chamber 0-, is reduced or increased.

Reterring, now, to, the cgmstruction shown in Fig. 4!, the invention is illustrated as ap; plied to, arailway -vehi cle, the: aXlB Which is supported inballbearings 7 carried'in a blochMadaptedtoslide vertically abrack et Ui this vertical; movement being facilitated means of, ball-bearings g. The piston Q I seeuredto the vertical sliding block lvlfl anrl springs. or soring buffers indicated at c are; provide 4 for absorbing lateral shocks on the. vehicle. sion chamber O is provided letvalve m and an inlet n through which lubgicant or sealing fl, id may be. supplied to the piston C, and a pressure. gange; V is provided for the compression chamber 0.

It is of course understood that the. position of the apparatus may be considerably vanied by eitherplacing it i'n a vertical or in; a horizontal. position,

Various other constructional, arrangements, ot'the, air springs may obviously be 1- 1,; pted, withoi'it exceeding the scope of; the

invention, which. is not limited, to any particular disposition of the; springs. with ref,-

erence to the vehicle frame, or tothesprings with. an in;

of the vehicle in general, and. the. variations n hese. and her r spe ts my obr s y be made without exceeding the scope-of the 1nvention.,- i I claim asmyinvention:

1- Annemns ri e c mp s g a ylinder secured to the frame of a vehicle ;v a pist n pr. sa d y in er, a dlp e being connected at its free end, tothe wheels 01": a vehicle and a removable? compression chambQl Q SSQQlQiJQd with, and in communication 1 said cyl nder for, varyin the position of the p ston in said; cylinder, when-a. chamber. of; dilferent. volumeis used with the same load. and sa ine pressure. v

A pneumatic spring comprising a cylinder; aipiston associated with said cylinder, said cylinder; containing a compressible fluid and, a, removable; compression cham her 4 in. communication with said cylinder for varying the positionof? the p ston in said cylinder When a chamber of different volume is used with the same load and same pressure.

8. A pneumatic spring comprising a cylinder; a piston associated with said cylinder, said cylinder containing a compressible fluid; and a removable compression chamber in communication with said cylinder, said chamber comprising sectionsseparated by valves for varying the position of the piston in said cylinder.

4. A pneumatic spring comprising a cylinder; a piston associated With said cylinder, said cylinder containing a compressible fluid, and a removable compression chamber 15 in communication with said cylinder, said chamber comprising sections, and means for varying the position of the piston in said cylinder.

In testimony whereof he aflixes his signa 2 ture.

FRANCISCO DE URRUELA.

A. WV. l/VAULA. 

